Secretary of State for Scotland 1964-1970, 1974-1976

When the Labour Party forming the government under Harold Wilson in 1964, Willie Ross was appointed Secretary of State for Scotland, a position he held until 1970 and again from 1974 to 1976, making him the longest serving Secretary of State for Scotland.

"The board was ... the brainchild of the late Willie Ross, whom many of us called basso profondo when he was Secretary of State for Scotland" - Margaret Ewing

In Wilson’s Government, he was responsible for the creation of the Highlands and Islands Development Board and the Scottish Development Agency, still with us in the 21st century in their modern form as Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise. He was very much Harold Wilson’s ‘man in Scotland’ and a stern opponent of the Scottish Nationalists.

Willie Ross was a Glasgow graduate and honorary graduate who became a Labour politician and was Secretary of State for Scotland from 1964 to 1970 and again from 1974 to 1976.

He was born in Ayr in 1911 and was educated at Ayr Academy before matriculating at the University with the support of a Carnegie Scholarship. He graduated with an MA in 1932. Until the start of World War II he was a primary school teacher. During the War he served in India, Burma, Singapore, and Ceylon, reaching rank of Major and being awarded a military MBE.

He became interested in a career in politics after the War and won a by-election in 1946, becoming an MP in Kilmarnock, a position he held until 1979. In 1964, under Harold Wilson's Labour government, he became Secretary of State for Scotland. He spent a total of 8 years in this role making him the longest serving Secretary of State. He died in 1988.

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Cite this article

World Changing Project, 'Secretary of State for Scotland 1964-1970, 1974-1976', University of Glasgow World Changing, University of Glasgow, Oct 2010; [http://www.worldchanging.glasgow.ac.uk/article/?id=105, accessed 19 December 2018]

World Changing Project, "Secretary of State for Scotland 1964-1970, 1974-1976," in University of Glasgow World Changing (University of Glasgow, 2010); http://www.worldchanging.glasgow.ac.uk/article/?id=105 (accessed December 19, 2018).

World Changing Project. "Secretary of State for Scotland 1964-1970, 1974-1976." In University of Glasgow World Changing. University of Glasgow, 2010. http://www.worldchanging.glasgow.ac.uk/article/?id=105 (accessed December 19, 2018).

World Changing Project. "Secretary of State for Scotland 1964-1970, 1974-1976." University of Glasgow World Changing. University of Glasgow, 2010. 19 December 2018 <http://www.worldchanging.glasgow.ac.uk/article/?id=105>.